Wire stretcher



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Shept 1 0. M.- POND.

STRETGHER.

Patented Dec. 12, 1882.

2 D N O P U WIRE STRETGHBR.

Patelited Dec. 12. 1882.

ZZZ/M6566.-

N PETERS. Phcwlithogrnpher. Wa ing! D. C,

r UNITED STATES PATENT QFFrcE.

ORLANDO M. POND, OF INDEPENDENCE, IOWA.

WIRE-STRETCH ER.

. SPECIFICATION forming part ofLetters Patent No. 268,934, datedDecember 12, 1882. Application filed June 13, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, 0. POND, of Independence, in the county of Buchananand State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inWire-Stretchers; and

. view in detail of the pivoted spring-tooth engaged with theratchet-wheel of the windlass. Fig. 6 shows the pivoted spring-toothdisengaged from the ratchet-wheel by adjusting it on the yoke D. y

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and efficient deviceby means of which I the wires forming a fencemay be in turn rapidly andconveniently stretched to the desired degree of tension, andin theposition in which they are tobe secured, as will be hereinafter morefully described.

In carrying out my invention 1 construct the windlass, which consists ofthe hub or winding-drum A and the two side disks or plates, B Bpreferably of metal, which is mounted and revolveson the shaft 0. On theoutside of the edge of one of the side plates of the windlass is formeda ratchet, B The windlass is supported in the yoke D, which is formedwith two' prongs or arms, which are secured at their ends to the shaft0, and between which the windlass may revolve.

To one side of the yoke D is secured the spring E, on the end of whichis the stop or pawl e, which passes through a hole in the yoke, and,engagingthe teeth of the ratchet, prevents backward movement of thewindlass. The spring'E is secured by bolt or rivet,'so that when thestop 'is raised high enough it may be turned to one sideand held outofcontact with the ratchet, which will allow the windlass to be quicklyunwound. The lever 15" engages the teeth of the ratchet, and when areciprocating movement is imparted thereto it will turn the windlass A.The said lever is pivoted to the central shaft, (3, extends radiallytherefrom across the windlass, and may be of any desired length.

To the end of the yoke D, from which point the prongs or arms extend, isattached, by hook, link, or any suitable means, a clamp, L, by which thewindlass is secured to a cord or .wire attached to any suitableresistance, a post being usually the most convenient.

The piece K is attached to the yoke and i to the central shaft, and maybe used to secure the windlass in an opposite direction.

The clamp with which I secure the wire to be stretched, and also use,when most convenient, to secure the stretching mechanism in place, iscomposed of the flat metal plate F, provided at one end with the lugsff,preferably integral therewith. perforated and threaded to receive theclamping-screw G and the other is formed with a shallow recess, intowhich the screw G forces the wire. By this means Igain a very stronghold on the wire, and when the recess and clamping-screw are properlyproportioned and finished no injury is done to the wire by having beenheld therein. To the other end of the clamp I secure the pivoted orswiveled link'H,

or, if preferred, form it into a hook or ring, by any of which it issecured to the. windlass by means of the cord or chain a, which shouldbe of sufficient length to take up, when wound on the drum of thewindlass, the slack of the material being stretched. When so desired, anadditional clamp and short cord may be attached to the arm .K, by meansof which the stretched wire may be held while the drum is being unwoundto permit a new hold to be taken or the operation repeated.

The windlass having been secured in position, the wire to be stretchedis secured in the moving clamp, the cord of which passes over thewinding-drum, which is then rotated by means of the lever and stop untilthe wire is sufficiently tightened. By raising the stop 0 the drum maybe quickly unwound, and is then ready for use.

The eye-piece K is rigidly secured to the yoke, and serves not only as ahandle for sustaining the windlass in position for attaching a line-wireto the clip, but it also serves as a means for attaching, by means of awire or a chain, the windlass to a post, so that the slack One of thelugs is of the line-wire can be taken up after the grip which isfastened to the yoke D; neither do I of the part F or the part L hasbeen released. In this case I use an auxiliary wire, Q, by means ofwhich the Windlass is attached to a line-post, so that it is held withthe line-wire attached until a spli'ceor twist can be made.

It is obvious that the lever B, which performs the twofold purpose of alever and a spring-pawl by reason of its elasticity, can be used abovethe ratchet-wheel B, instead of below'it, as shown in Fig. 1 of thedrawings.

The spring E is pivoted to the yoke D, so that the tooth 6 can bewithdrawn from the ratchet-wheel B and adjusted on the outside of theyoke, as indicated by dotted lines, Fig. 1, and also in full lines,Figs. 4 and 6. This allows the rope or to be readily unwound from theWindlass A.

I have shown by Fig. 4 the practical use of the loop or eye K, which isrigidly fixed to the Windlass-yoke I). When the rope a has been woundupon the windlass as far as possible, and it is found that there isstill a slackness of the line-wires, I secure an auxiliary wire, Q, tothe eye K and suitably secure it to a fence-post. I then detach thetooth e from the ratchet-wheel B, thus allowing the Windlass-rope to bequickly unwound from its drum. Of course, before this is done the endsof the broken line-wire between the posts must be securely spliced orunited.

I do not broadly claim the loop or eye K,

claim broadly a Windlass appliedto a yoke for stretching fence-wire.

Havingdescribed my invention. whatlclaim,

and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A fence-wire stretcher consisting of the flanged Windlass A, theserrations formed on the end or face of one of said flanges, the yoke D,the pivoted spring E, the pawl-tooth e, the

pivoted spring E of this tooth, the eye-piece K, rigidly fixed to saidyoke, the spring handlever B pivoted on the shaft of the'windlass, awire-clam pi n g device, L, attached by a shackle to the said yoke, theWindlass-rope a, the wireclamp H, and the auxiliary Wire Q, adapted tobe attached to a fence-post for taking up the slack of the line-wire,all combined, constructed, and adapted to operate substantially in themanner and for the purposes described.

2. The combination of the auxiliary wire Q and the eye-piece K with thefence-wire tightener, all constructed and adapted to operatesubstantially in the manner and for the purposes (lescribed. g

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

ORLANDO M. POND.

Witnesses D. L. SMITH, S. L. KEMMERER.

